UK girl's name
Mayisha
An African name of Swahili origin meaning "she/her life".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2005. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Mayisha is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Mayisha popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2005 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3970, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 5 births.
This profile covers 16 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 1999 to 2005. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 80% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 16 living people in the UK are called Mayisha. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2006 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Mayisha ranked #3970 for girls in England and Wales in 2005, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2000, when 5 girls were registered as Mayisha.
- • About 16 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mayisha as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3970
2005
Births in 2005
4
Latest year
Peak year
2000
5 births
Estimated living
16
2026
Meaning
What does Mayisha mean?
The name Mayisha is believed to have its origins in the Arabic language. It is a variation of the name Maysaa or Maysa, which is derived from the Arabic word "masa," meaning "to walk" or "to go." The name was commonly used in the Middle East and North Africa during the medieval period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mayisha can be found in the writings of the renowned Islamic scholar and philosopher, Al-Ghazali, who lived from 1058 to 1111 AD. In his work, he mentioned a woman named Mayisha who was known for her piety and devotion to Islamic teachings.
In the 12th century, there was a famous Sufi mystic and poet from Persia named Mayisha al-Qadiri. She was renowned for her spiritual poetry and her contribution to the development of Sufi literature. Her birth and death years are not precisely known, but she is believed to have lived during the latter part of the 12th century.
Another notable figure with the name Mayisha was Mayisha bint Malik, a 13th-century Arab scholar and writer from Andalusia, which was then under Muslim rule. She was highly respected for her knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and her literary works, which focused on topics such as religion, philosophy, and poetry.
In the 16th century, there was a prominent Ottoman calligrapher named Mayisha al-Qawwam. She was renowned for her exceptional skill in the art of calligraphy and her intricate designs adorned many important historical manuscripts and architectural structures of the time.
During the 17th century, a woman named Mayisha al-Fayrouz gained recognition as a skilled physician and herbalist in the city of Damascus. She was known for her expertise in traditional Arabic medicine and her contributions to the study of medicinal plants and their therapeutic properties.
These are just a few examples of historical figures who bore the name Mayisha. While the name may have originated in the Arabic language, it has transcended cultural boundaries and has been adopted by various communities around the world, each with its own unique interpretations and associations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Mayisha over time
The chart below shows babies named Mayisha registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1999 to 2005. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Mayisha, the clearest high point is 2000. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2005, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mayisha by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mayisha was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #3618 | 12 | 3 |
| 1990s | #3225 | 4 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Mayisha
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Mayisha: questions and answers
How popular is the name Mayisha in the UK right now?
In 2005, Mayisha was ranked #3970 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Mayisha most popular?
The peak year on record was 2000, with 5 babies registered as Mayisha in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Mayisha?
An African name of Swahili origin meaning "she/her life".
How many people are called Mayisha in the UK?
A total of 16 babies have been registered as Mayisha across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.